wiechmann 1 - bethany lutheran...
TRANSCRIPT
Wiechmann 1
Abstract
TheGreatGatsbyandIcarus:ExplainingtheParallelsandProblemsofanEntropicUniverse ThisthesisexaminestheuniquerelationshipbetweenF.ScottFitzgerald’s
twentieth-centuryTheGreatGatsbywiththepoetOvid’sfirst-century“TheStoryofIcarus
andDaedalus.”Thetwoaccountsparalleleachotherintheirplots,characters,and,most
significantly,themes.Isolation,adramaticrise,illegitimatemeansofascension,anda
drasticfallareallfoundinbothstories,asistheideaofentropy.Entropyistheprinciple
thateverythinghasatendencytowarddecay,somethingthatisstillevidenteventoday.
ThisthesisthenexaminesbothaccountsinlightofAristotle’smodelfortragedyandthe
tragicheroasfoundinThePoetics.Thisstudythenservestoteachallreadersaboutthe
literarymeritofGatsbyasatragedy,andultimately,theintendedmessageofbothOvid’s
mythandFitzgerald’snovelaboutsurvivinginaworldcharacterizedbyentropy,messages
thatareequallyrelevanttoourworldtoday.
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TableofContents
Chapter PageI.LiteratureReview.............................................................3II.TheGreatGatsbyandIcarus:ExplainingtheParallelsandProblemsofanEntropicUniverse.................................................................................22WorksCited....................................................................41
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LiteratureReview
In“TheEyesofDr.Eckleburg:ARe-examinationof‘TheGreatGatsby’”,authorTom
BurnamdiscusseswhatpotentiallyislackingfromF.ScottFitzgerald’sgreatestwork.Both
literarycriticsandFitzgeraldhimselfadmittedtomisgivingsaboutthisnovel,feelingthatit
waslackinginsomeway,althoughnodefiniteconclusionwaseverreachedaboutwhat
exactlywasmissingfromthisnarrative.Burnamexploresandaddressesthesuggested
deficienciesofthiswork,butintheend,refutesthesenotionsandclaimsthatthegreatest
faultoftheworkisinitsmultiplicityofmeanings,thatthereis,infact,toomuch.
Atthebeginningofhisarticle,Burnamassertsthatthereismuch“moreinTheGreat
Gatsbythanaprotagonist,aplot,andagreenlight”(7).Hefocusesonthesymbolism
outsideoftheovertthemeofthenovel.Inparticular,heexaminesthepotentialoftheever-
staringeyesofDr.T.J.Eckleburg(asseenintheoptometrist’sadvertisement)andthe
strangenessoftheconversationbetweenNickCarrawayandJordanBakerabouther
inabilitytodriveanautomobile,whenultimatelyitisDaisy,accompaniedbyGatsby,who
runsdownMyrtleWilson.Burnamgoesasfarasstatingthatthe“overtthemeofTheGreat
Gatsbyhaslittletodo…withthenovel’suseofsymbol”(8)andthatthesubdominantmotif,
inmanywaysoverpowerstheintendedthemeofthework.Withthisbeingthecase,
BurnamstatesthatitisthenimpliedthatFitzgeraldcouldnothavebeenentirelyawareof
whathewasdoingashecraftedthenovel.
AccordingtoBurnam,thisimplicationcriticizingFitzgeraldisalsosupportedbythe
voiceofthenarrator.Itisnearlyimpossibleforareadertobelievethatoneassimpleas
NickCarraway,ayoungbondsalesman,couldhavearticulatedthemagnificentprosethat
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characterizesthework.Instead,thereaderseesFitzgeraldclearlyseepingthroughvarious
passages,particularlythoseinthethirdchapter,describingGatsby’sparty.
ThusthenovelmayverywellinvolvenotmerelythethemewhichNickpresents
inhisowncharacter,butalsoanotherwhichmaybecalled,forlackofabetter
name,the‘Fitzgeraldtheme.’Anditistowardthelatter,Ibelieve,thatalmostall
thesymbolisminTheGreatGatsbyisdirected.(Burnam8)
Itisthisdualityofthemes,accordingtoBurnam,thatisthegreatestshortcomingofthe
novel,althoughFitzgeraldhimselfneverrecognizedthisparticularfault.
However,Fitzgeralddidfindseveralotherweaknessesinhisgreatestwork.Burnam
citesseveralofFitzgerald’sletters,whereheadmitsthatitlackedsomething,although
Fitzgeraldcouldnotconsistentlydefinewhatitwas.Inalettertofellowwriter,JohnPeale
Bishop,FitzgeralddescribedTheGreatGatsbyas“blurredandpatchy”andsaid“Ineverat
anyonetimesawhimclearmyself—forhestartedoutasonemanIknewandthen
changedintomyself”(qtd.inBurnam9).Inadifferentletter,thatsameyear,Fitzgerald
admittedtoEdmundWilsonthathisworstfaultwasthathe“gavenoaccount(andhadno
feelingaboutorknowledgeof)theemotionalrelationsbetweenGatsbyandDaisyfromthe
timeoftheirreuniontothecatastrophe”(qtd.inBurnam9).
Burnamdismissesthelattermisgivingcompletely,withthebeliefthatifthose
emotionalrelationshadbeenincluded,thenovelwouldhavebeenworseoff.The
sentimentalitywouldhavecheapenedthenovelasawholeandalsowouldhave
contradictedthepointoftheCarrawaythemeregardingtheattitudesandbehaviorsfound
intheEast.Atthesametime,Burnamdoesnotgivefullcredittothenotionthatthefaultof
thenovelisalackofconsistencyinGatsby’scharacter(asGatsbybecomesFitzgerald).
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However,Burnamdoesadmitthatthisideaisclosertotherootoftheproblem.Intheend,
heclaimsthatitisnotthatsomethingismissingatall.Burnamattributesthefeelingthat
somethingismissingtotheperpetualconfusionofthemesandalso“thedualityofthe
symbol-structure”(10).Theshortcomingisthattheworkisbeingpulledintwodifferent
directions.IfTheGreatGatsbyhadsimplyfocusedoneitherCarraway’sthemeoron
Fitzgerald’stheme,itwouldhavebeen“incomparable”,butby“revealingperhapsalittle
toomuchofthepersonwhocreatedit,itbecomessomewhatlesssharp,lesspointed,more
diffusedinit’seffect”(10).
Fitzgerald’sidentificationwithGatsbywasamajorpointofinterestinthisarticle,as
wellasthosebyseveralothercritics.Theneedfororderamongstthechaosandtheviewof
moneyasameanstohappinesswereprevalentideologiestobothFitzgeraldandGatsby.In
theend,bothmendiedyoungandfullofpotential,butthey“hadlosttheoldwarmworld,
andpaidahighpriceforlivingtoolongwithasingledream”(qtd.inBurnam12).Lionell
TrillingthoughtthatJayGatsby,notonlyrepresentedFitzgerald,butalso“istobethought
ofasstandingforAmericaitself”(qtd.inBurnam12).Thatistosaythatthepursuitof
orderand,mostimportantly,ofhappinessarecharacteristicofnotonlyJayandFitzgerald,
butalsoofournationandperhapsourhumannature.
Inhisarticle“TheStructureofTheGreatGatsby”,KennethEblerevealsacomplete
disagreementwiththeideasthatBurnamsuggestsabouttheshortcomingsofthenovel.
BurnamsuggestedthatTheGreatGatsbyhadmorecontentandcomplexitythanmost
criticswouldgiveitcreditforandalsoclaimedthatthiscomplicationwastheresultofat
besthaphazard,andatworstlazywritingwhichthencausedalossofsharpnessorefficacy.
Ebleassertsjusttheopposite.Accordingtohim,“directnessandsimplicityarefundamental
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characteristicsofthenovel”(5).Eblealsoviewstimeandthedeliberateplacementof
eventswithinthetextasoneofFitzgerald’smostessentialtoolsingivingtheworkboth
shapeandmeaning,thoughtswhicharealsoechoedbyJefferySteinbrink.
Ebleanalyzedthestructureofthenovelbyviewingitparticularlythroughthelens
oftime.Hepresentsadetailedoutlineofhowthenovelisoriented,whichisnotnecessarily
chronological.Ebleclaimsthatthereisevidenceofapattern“ofmovementand
withdrawal,andatthecenter,amomentofdeadcalm,possession”(7).Infact,hegoesonto
arguethattheentiretyofthenovelisamirrorofthelastsentenceofthework:“Andso,we
beaton,boatsagainstthecurrent,bornebackceaselesslyintothepast”(qtd.inEble7),
thatistosaythatthetextsurgesforwardintothefuture,butatthesametime,revisitsand
dwellsinthecharacters’pasts.Thosepastsareinescapablytiedtothepresentand
ultimatelytothefutureordestinyofeachofthecharactersaswell.
Eblespendsafairportionofhisargumentfocusedontheliteralandfigurative
centerofthenovel:thesceneinwhichDaisyandGatsbymeetagaininchapterfive.This
scenehasasenseofutterstillness.Thehesitancyandtheawkwardnessarepractically
tangible.ThisisthefirsttimethatreadersgettoseebothGatsbyashecreatedhimselftobe
contrastedwiththerealGatsbyofthepast,andalsothisisthefirsttimethatGatsbyhimself
mustfacehistwoidentitiesbeingbroughttogether.Intheaftermathofthisscene,Gatsby
broadlygiveshiscentralspeechtoNickCarraway:“‘Can’trepeatthepast?’hecried
incredulously.‘Whyofcourseyoucan!’”Itisamomentofbothpotentialandrisk.
ThewayEbledescribesitparallelstheflipofacoin.Withtheflickofafinger,the
coinissentintotheair,butitslowstoastopasitreachesthehighestpointofarch,Daisy
andGatsby’sreunion,andbeginsitsdescent.Itthengainsmomentumupuntilitcrashesto
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theground,soaccordingly,afterthispointinchapterfive,theworkonlygainsmomentum
upuntilthecaraccidentandthemomentinwhichGeorgeWilsonmurdersGatsby.Thenin
chapternine,“theforwardmovementofthenovelstops…andistoldasitlivesinNick
Carraway’smemorytwoyearslater.”Thereaderarrivesyetagaininthepastasheorsheis
exposedtothecopybookmaximsofayoungJamesGats,longbeforehewasthegreatJay
Gatsby.
EbleciteshisowndetailedexaminationofthestructureofTheGreatGatsbyas
evidenceofwhathecallsthegreatestvirtueofthenovel:“thetightinvariabilityofits
construction”(7).Thedeliberateandconsistentmannerinwhichthebookwasorganized
createstheuniquesenseoftimelessthathasledittobecanonized.Despitesomany
aspectsbeingtiedtotheeraoftheJazzAge,orevenspecificdates,thenovelissuccessfulin
creatingasenseoftimelessnessasaresultof“matchingtheswiftlyon-goingnarrativewith
alessswiftbutpowerfulmovementintothepast”(7).
Eblepraisesthenovel’sstructurenotonlyforthefinalresultthatweseeinthe
publishededitions,butalsoforthepainstakingcareanddiligencethatcharacterizedits
construction.ManyofthedetailsofthelayoutthatEblepraisesdidnotcometobeuntil
afterthebookwasingalleyproof.ThemostcrucialchangethatFitzgeraldmade,according
toEblewasintakingthetruestoryofJamesGatsfromchaptereight,tothebeginningof
chaptersix,justafterthestaticcenterofthework(8).Thisallowedthatmomentof
stillnesstolastjustabitlongerinthemindofthereader.Fitzgeraldwasalsothenplacingit
justbeforethepartyscene,whereGatsbybeginstorealizethevanityofhisdreams,causing
thisparticularflashbacktohavethegreatestpossibleamountofimpact.
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Whilethemajorityofthechangesmadeinthegalleyproofsarethetransposingof
materialsandtherewritingofscenesinvolvedthosetranspositionsparticularlyinthe
centralchaptersofthenovel,EblealsocommendsthesmallchangesthatFitzgeraldmade
throughouttheentiretythenoveltoachievehishighlypolishedstyle.Thechangesthat
Eblereferencesinparticularare“‘Silhouette’for‘shadow,’‘vanished’for‘gone,’‘soiled’for
‘spotted’”andotherphrasessuchas“‘corkybutratherimpressiveclaret’for‘wine’”along
withmanyothers.Eblegivessuchextensiveexamplesbecause“suchsmallchangesaddup
tothatFitzgeraldstylistictouchwhichcanonlybedefinedsatisfactorilybycitingpassages”
(8).
JefferySteinbrinkwrote“BoatsAgainsttheCurrent:MortalityandtheMythof
RenewalinTheGreatGatsby”,focusingontheriseandfallofJayGatsbyinlightofhis
uniquelyoptimisticattitudeandvisionforthefutureinanobviouslyentropicuniverse.
Steinbrink,likeBurnam,declaresthatthereisamultiplicityofmeaningsinthisnoveland
thatthereaderisinevitablypulledintwodifferentdirections:“towardthenaïvehopethat
thebestoflifeisyettocome,andtowardtherealizationthatsuchcircumstancesasgive
lifemeaninglieburiedinanirrecoverablepast”(157),ajuxtaposingofthedesiresofthe
heartandtheknowledgeofthehead.
AccordingtoSteinbrink(andechoingtheideasofLionellTrilling),entropy
characterizednotonlytheworldofthenovel,butratherallofAmerica,andtheuniverseas
awhole.WiththelossoftheJeffersoniandreamandtheinnocenceoftheworldbeforethe
GreatWar,itbecameevidenttowriters,philosophers,andscientistsalike,thattherewasa
trendtowarddisorder,thattheworldwaslikeaclockwithaneverlooseningmainspring,
thatchaoswasunavoidable(Steinbrink158).ThepossibilitiesandpotentialoftheNew
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Worldhadbeencompletelydiminishedandeventhe“dreamthattechnologywould
provideameanstohappiness”(158)dwindledandwasreplacedbyanightmarethat
technologywouldbringaboutourdemiseevenmorequickly.Thisdoctrineofinevitable
socialdeclineanddegenerationhadanobviousimpactonFitzgerald’swork.Steinbrink
statesthatthisisanobviousreminderthat“thecourseofhumanexperience…isbest
describedasadownwardglide…thatregenerationandrenewalaremyths,atbest
metaphors,ratherthanrealpossibilitiesofactuallife”(158).Asaresult,thecharactersof
TheGreatGatsbywhoopposeorignorethisaspectofrealityareincrediblyyoung,
incrediblyfoolish,orboth.
ThemostobviouscharacterthatresistedthisideologywasJayGatsbyhimself.
Gatsbyrepresentedapre-waridealismthatwaswhollyinsupportable,buthe“adoptsthe
mythofregenerationasthesinglesustainingprincipleofhisexistence”(Steinbrink161).
Hefoughttirelesslyandsolelytoregainthepast;hedreamtofregainingatimewhenhe
andDaisycouldhaveandwouldhavebeen.Everythinghedidwasinanefforttorealize
thisimpossibledream.Thisidealismwasbothablessingandacurse.(162)Gatsby’shopes
andexpectationsforhislifeweregoinginadirectionperpendiculartotheentropicdecline,
whichcausedhisfalltobethatmuchmorepoignant.
Nick,Jordan,andDaisyalsoadoptedsuchanideology,evenifonlytemporarily.Nick
movedEastwiththehopeofanewcareerandnewsocialcirclesandclaimed“lifewas
beginningoveragainwiththesummer”(qtd.inSteinbrink160).Despitebeingthemost
cynicalofFitzgerald’scharacters,JordanalsoechoedthatsamenotionwhenDaisyasked
whattheywoulddowiththemselvesforthenextdayorforthenextthirtyyearsandJordan
toldhernottobemorbid,butthat“Lifestartsalloveragainwhenitgetscrispinthefall”
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(qtd.inSteinbrink161).Daisybelievesthatlittleembellishmentstoherlifeand
surroundingsshouldbeenoughtorevivethemeaningoflife.SheandTommovedabout
often,alwaysinsearchofthenextgreatthingwithacertaintythatitdidexistandthey
wouldfindit.Witheachofthesemoments,Fitzgeraldallowsthereaderto“entertainthe
hopethatitispossibletomakea‘freshstart’—toundothecalamitiesofthepastorto
reliveitsquintessentialmoments”(Steinbrink159).
However,immediatelyinthenovel,FitzgeraldusesTomtoserveasaclassic
manifestationandproofofentropictheoryinhumanform.Onpagesixofthenovel,heis
describedas“oneofthosemenwhoreachsuchanacutelimitedexcellenceattwenty-one
thateverythingafterwardsavorsofanticlimax”(qtd.inSteinbrink161).Heisthefirst
exampleoftheperpetualdeclineandinevitablefall.Thefarmoresignificantfallisthatof
Gatsby.SteinbrinkspecificallyreferencedGatsby’slineinchaptersixaboutthecertaintyof
beingabletorepeatthepastconnectingitwiththesceneinthehotelinNewYorkwhen
Daisycriesthatshe“can’thelpwhatispast”(qtd.inSteinbrink165)Thisendsallof
Gatsby’shopesforthefuture;heneededDaisytoignorethelimitationsoftimewithhim,
buthercommentsoiledhisdream.Gatsbycannotmanipulatetime;hecannot“fix”things
asWolfsheimfixedtheWorldSeries.
Afterthisscene,thedeathofGatsbyfollowsquickly,almostmercifully.“Heisnot
giventimetocontemplatehisfallortolearnverymuchfromit”(Steinbrink166).Thereis
scarcelyeventimefordespairtogetitsgripsonhim.Sothen,itbecomestheresponsibility
ofNicktoapplythelessonmeantforandcreatedbyGatsby’sfall.ReinforcingEble’sclaims
aboutthestructureofthenovel,SteinbrinkassertsthatNickis“driventowardthis
integrativeviewofpastandpresentbothbyhispenchantforhonestyandbyasenseofthe
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connectednessoftime”(167).NickadmiresthescopeofGatsby’svisionandallthe
sinceritywithwhichhedevoteshimselftowardsitsrealization,butNickalsoacknowledges
thatGatsbywasignorantofboththeenormityofthetaskbeforehimandthathisefforts
weredestinedtofail.
Thereaderthenfindsthattheillusionspresentedbythismythofrenewaldogivea
momentarycomfort,but“tosurrendertothemythofrejuvenationistodenyboththe
natureofrealityandthechanceforamodicumofcontentment”(Steinbrink161).Wesee
bothGatsby’sgreatnessaswellashismonumentalfoolishnessandNick’sdetermination
“toexaminetheinterplayofvisionandrestraint,oftimelessimaginationandhistorical
reality,inthehopeofstrikingaproperbalancebetweenthetwo”(Steinbrink168).
Steinbrinkconcludeshisessaybybringingtheseideastogether:tolivesuccessfully,one
mustbeinastateof“equilibriumbetweenresistancetothecurrentandsurrendertoits
flow…and[accommodating]thelessonsofhispasttohisvisionsofthefuture,givinginto
neither”(168).
In“TheThemeandtheNarratorofTheGreatGatsby”,ThomasHanzoasksthe
readertocriticallycomparetheexperiencesandattitudesofJayGatsbywiththatofNick
Carraway.AlthoughHanzodoesnotpresumethathisviewofNickwillrevolutionizethe
interpretationofthisnovel,hedoesgosofarastosaythat“Fitzgerald’sintentioncannotbe
clarifiednorthesignificanceofhisachievementgrasped,withoutoursharingwithNickthe
trialofhisselfandtheactivityofhisconscienceinthatsocietyofwhichGatsbyisonlythe
mostnotablepart”(61).
FitzgeraldgivingNick’scharacterfreereigntorevealhimselfandhishistoryashe
opensandconcludesthenovel,ratherthangoingimmediatelytoGatsbysupportsthis
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assertion.Nickgiveshimselfasenseofauthorityasanarratorasheexplainswhyhehas
beeninclinedtoreservejudgmentandbyfurtheradmittingthattherewaseventuallya
limittohistoleranceallinthefirstchapter(Hanzo62).Nick’scandorismoreevidentinhis
revealingandpointingthereadertoatimeofhislifewhenhewasnotwithoutfault,in
ordertogiveGatsbythecreditheisdue.
ThesetwomenwerewhollydifferentpeoplewhichiswhatHanzowouldargue
givesadditionalvalueandweighttothestorythatNickisobligedtotell.Specifically,
readerscanlookatthewayinwhichNickdescribesGatsby.
‘Gatsby…representedeverythingforwhichIhaveunaffectedscorn’but‘Therewas
somethinggorgeousabouthim,someheightenedsensitivitytothepromisesof
life…’Gatsbyhad‘anextraordinarygiftforhope,aromanticreadiness.’Gatsby,Nick
says,‘turnedoutallrightintheend.’(qtd.inHanzo66)
Nickfeltthatheandotherslackedthis“romanticreadiness”andthattheywereincapable
ofseeingtheworldastheyoncehadbeforetheWar.Asaresult,itwasn’tGatsbythatNick
regardedasfoolish,butratherthecorruptionthatsurroundedthedreamwhichGatsbyhad
sotirelesslyadheredto(Hanzo66).
HanzotakescaretodrawupafullcomparisonofbothJayGatsbyandNickCarraway
astheywereatthebeginningofthesummerof1922andalsointheaftermath.Inthe
beginning,GatsbyhaswealthandNickhaslittletohisnamebutadecentreputationback
homeintheMid-West.Gatsbyiscompletelyaloneevenwhilehishousehisfilledwith
people;Nickmakesevenunwantedfriendseasily.Gatsbyismysteriousandobsessive,but
Nickisquitesaneandhislifeisutterlyordinary.ThereaderseesthatGatsbyhasadopted
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thesophisticationandthecorruptionoftheEastwhileNickstrivestoholdontothesimple
virtueofhisMid-Westernideals(Hanzo62).
GatsbyandCarrawaydonotmaintaintheirinitialcharacteristicsthroughthe
entiretyofthenovel.Nickrecognizeshowhehasbeentakeninbytheidealsandglamour
oftheEast.ThisisshownintheirresponsibilityofhisloveaffairwithJordanBakerand
alsoinwillinglyallowinghimselftobeusedbyGatsbyinthepursuitofDaisy.Nickis
hesitanttoendhisrelationshipwithJordanandrefusestoconfrontGatsbyaboutthisfault,
buthedoesrecognizethathecannotignoreorescapethenegativeandviolent
consequencesofthecynicismandselfishnessofJordanandGatsby,aswellasTomand
Daisy(Hanzo64).NickrightfullyfearsthedestructivenessofthehedonismoftheEast.By
theend,weseeNickrevertingtohisoriginalmorality.Herecognizeshisownguilt,moves
backtohissecureMid-Westroots,andagainwishestheworldto“standatasortofmoral
attentionforever”(qtd.inHanzo68)andhave“asenseoffundamentaldecencies”(qtd.in
Hanzo65)ingrainedinitsnature.Essentially,bytheendofthestory,Nickhadlearnedthat
intruthmoralityhasalwaysbeenridgedandthatthepastalwayswasandwould
permanentlybebehindhim.
OnecannotsayasmuchforGatsby,helearnsnothinginthecourseofthesummer,
orifhedoes,itisnotuntilafterhisdoomisclearlyinevitable.Gatsbyisdeterminedthathe
canremakethepast,thathecanbringbackfullywhatmighthavebeen.Bytheendofthe
novel,itisclearthatthisisnotthecase.However,HanzowouldarguethatNick’scharacter
doesnotconsiderthisafaultinGatsby,onlyinthedreamthathededicatedhimselfto(65).
NickactuallyidolizesGatsby’scapacityofwill:“atremendousenergytoaccomplishcertain
purposes,andaself-imposeddelusionwhichmakesthosepurposesmeaningful”(Hanzo
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66).Thepastsimultaneouslypusheshimintothefutureandholdshimbackfromthe
present.SowemustconcludethatFitzgeralddidnotisolatedasinglefunctionofthepast,
butratherheusesthepastasbothalossandalsoasasourceofstrength.
Intheend,accordingtoHanzo,Nickdiscoveredthattruthfully,andespeciallyinthe
caseofGatsby,“thepowerofwillwithoutthedirectionofintelligenceisadestructive
power,thattheremustbesomerealendbeyondthesatisfactionofprivatedesire…to
justifytheexpenditureoflife”(67).Tolivewell,onemustwantsomethingbetterthanorat
leastotherthan“theoldwarmworld”whichislostpermanentlyinthepast;heorshemust
allowforthelimitationsofthepastandalsounderstandtheimportanceofhavinga
moralitythatgoesbeyondpersonalinterests.
LikeKennethEble,RogerLewisin“Money,Love,andAspirationinTheGreat
Gatsby”focusesonthecomplexityanddualityoftheidealsandidentitiesofeachmajor
characterandalsothethemes.Lewisalsopaysspecialattentiontotheuniquerelationship
ofloveandmoneyincontrastwiththemorecommonseparationofthetwoconceptsinthe
majorityofAmericanfiction.Thisseparationofloveandmoneywasespeciallyprevalent
beforeWorldWarI(Lewis41).ItroseoutofAmericanidealsthatdeclaredthatindividual
effortcountedandthatamancouldrisebyhisownefforts.Moreover,thevisionof
perpetualrisingwasbothachievableandunabletobetainted.
WorldWarIdestroyedthisdream,buttheidealsfadedmoreslowly.Asaresultthe
1920sweretheidealtimeforwritinglegendaryworks(Lewis42).Sandwichedbetweenan
optimisticAmericandreamandajarringreality,the“doubleness”ofFitzgerald’snovelwas
notonlyexpected,butitwaseffectiveinchroniclingthechangesofboththecharactersand
Americansocietyatthistime.
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LewiscitesNick’sopeninginthenovelasthefirstexampleof“doubleness”.He
sensesbecauseofhisfather’sadvice,thatheistooquicktocondemnandoughttoinstead
reservehisjudgment,butinthenextparagraphhetieshis“cynical,guiltydisapproval[to]
theNewYorkthatthebookisabouttoportray”(Lewis42).Hekeepsafootinthepastto
honorthetraditionsofhisfamily,butalsoliveshisownlife,keepingafootfirmlyinthe
present.Inhiscandidjudgments,NickdoesmakeanexceptionforGatsbydespitehis
obviousinterestinvanity,wealth,andallthattheEasthastooffer;toNick,Gatsbyisthe
pureembodimentoftheolder,morehumaneAmerica,althoughironicallyso(Lewis43).
Nick’sinconsistencyinattitudecanalsobeseeninhisportrayalsoftheothercharactersin
thestory.
LewisthinksthatDaisy,asperfectassheseemstoGatsby,isenvelopedby
doublenessaswell,specificallybecauseofhowNickchoosestoportrayher.Whenthe
readerfirstmeetsDaisy,itisimmediatelyafterbeingconfrontedwithTom’scrueltyand
thecontrastcauseshertoappearallthemoreenchanting.Thereaderisinstantlydrawn
intothe“excitementinhervoicethat…wasdifficulttoforget:asingingcompulsion,a
whispered‘Listen,’apromise…ofexcitingthings”(qtd.inLewis44).WeseeDaisyasGatsby
sawher.Butassoonaswearefullysubmergedinthemagicandromanceofherdemeanor,
Nick“pullsusback.‘Theinstanthervoicebrokeoff…Ifeltthebasicinsincerityofwhatshe
hadsaid’”(qtd.inLewis44)WithoutNick’ssensibility,readercouldeasilymissthe
insinceritythatcheapensandcomplicateshercharacter.
Finally,LewisbringsourattentiontothedoublenessofthegreatGatsbyhimself.It
ispreviewedbytheironyofNick’sconsideringhimtoberepresentativeoftheold
AmericanidealdespitethefactthatGatsbyisaperfectexampleofthelifestyleoftheEast.
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AsaresultofJayGatsby’splatonicconceptionofhimself,heisbothamoneymakeranda
hopelessromantic(Lewis44).Thelackofanexternalforceinhisplatonicconceptionor
self-creationdeniesthepotentialofagreatermeaningorpurpose,theonlycontextthathe
hasishispast.Gatsbyseeshismoneyasthewaytoregaintheromanceofthispast;itis
bothabsurdandtouching(Lewis43).AlthoughhisromanticexpressionstowardDaisyare
sincere,heuseshiswealthtoshowhisfeelings,throwinggloriouspartiesandshowing
Daisyhisbeautifulshirts,assumingthatthiswouldbeenough.Hisignoranceofthe
limitationsofmoneyisfascinating.AccordingtoLewis,Gatsbyseesthatthepursuitof
moneyisasubstituteforlove(51),whichresonatesinhiscommenttoNickthat“’[Daisy’s]
voiceisfullofmoney,’”(qtd.inLewis50).
Hisdoublenessisfurtherexposedinhisshiftingidentities,whichareunsettling.
Lewisdrawsparticularattentiontothereputationsthatsupersedethemanathisown
party.Hisidentityshifts“accordingtowhichpartyguestonelistensto,butmostofthe
identities,eventheonethatturnsouttobe‘true,’havesomethingoftheunrealorfantastic
aboutthem”(Lewis46).Evenindeath,hedidnothaveatruthfulorsingularidentity.He
exemplifiestherootlessnessthatmanyfacedinthepostwarworld.
TherearealsocontradictionsinthethemesandmoralsofthenovelthatLewis
drawsthereader’sattentionto.ThereisasenseofmoralityevengreaterthanNick’s
commentaryonthevaluesoftheEastversustheWest;Fitzgerald’suseoftheword“non-
olfactory”tellsthereaderclearlythatGatsby’smoneysmells.Itistheresultofbootlegging
andotherillegalactivities;itreeksofcorruption(Lewis52).Gatsbyfailstorealizethatthe
illegitimacyofhismeansonlyservestocompromiseevenfurtherthepotentialendhe
mighthavewithDaisy,buttothereaderitbecomesveryclearthat“youcannotwinthe
Wiechmann 17
idealwiththecorrupt,andyoucannotbuyintegrityortastewithdollars”(Lewis52).When
DaisyexperiencesoneofGatsby’sparties,sheisrepulsedratherthanattracted.However,
thereader’sonlywindowtothismoralityisNick,whoattimesisoverwhelmedbythe
glamourofitall.HeexcusesthefoolishnessofGatsby’sdreamforitsromanticismandlets
thereaderseehowthisEasternworldtrulyglitters.Nicksomehowmakeshisopinionsand
judgmentsclearwithoutbeingdidactic,perhapsbecauseofhisownfailuretoavoidthe
temptations,heencouragesthereadertotaketimetoexaminetheworldthatheendsup
condemning.
Lewisusesallofthistohelpusapproachtheproblematicfunctionofmoney,
particularlyoldmoneyandnewmoney.Gatsby’sreverentcommentaboutDaisy’svoice
beinglikemoneyissomethingthatwecouldneverhearfromTom.MoneyisafactofTom’s
life.Itisnotasourceofallurement.Heknowsthatwithhisconsiderablefortunehecanbuy
anymaterialthing,butthatitwillbejustthat:material.Thereisnogreatermeaningor
purpose,butitisaverystablesubstituteforlove.ToGatsby,itisjusttheopposite.Itis
powerfulandattractive.IncreasinghiswealthisthefoundationofhisplantogetDaisy
back.Heseesmoneyasameanstoaperfectvisionoftheworldwithendlesspossibilities.
Gatsbysawthemoneyheprocuredasapromiseofhisillusionsbeingrealized.
Inhisessay“Fitzgerald’sTriumph,”GaleH.Carrithers,Jr.examineshowgesturesin
TheGreatGatsbyandtheintentionsbehindthemanswerthetwomostpertinentquestions
inlife:“WhoamI?”and“Whatisthenatureoftheworld?”HeclaimsthatFitzgeraldmakes
aclearcommentaryontheimplicationsoftheanswersbasedonconcreteandparticular
thingsinthenovel(303).Alongwiththeoldadagethatactionsspeaklouderthanwords,
thereaderseeseachcharacterestablishthemostgenuineaspectsofhisorheridentityby
Wiechmann 18
beingtruly“present”inthetextandbymakingthesedramaticgestures,whetherphysical
orvocal.“Gesturesareobjective,precise,public,arguable—theexactoppositeasNicksays,
ofemotions,whicharesubjective,vague,personal,inarguable”(Carrithers304).
Fitzgerald,throughthewordsofNickCarraway,allowsfortheassumptionthat
“’personalityisanunbrokenseriesofsuccessfulgestures’”(qtd.inCarrithers304).Forthis
reason,CarrithersspendsconsiderabletimeexpoundingonthegesturesofGatsby,Tom,
andNick.Gatsby’sfirstsignificantgestureishissmile(Carrithers305).Itcreatedan
undeniablesenseofhopeforthefutureandafeelingthathehadagreatdealofcharity
towardswhoeverobservedthesmile,eventhedrunkpartyguestswhowereunawarethat
thissmilinggentlemanwastheirhost.AsecondgestureofGatsby’sthatCarrithersrefersto
isGatsby’splacinghimself“betweenNickandWolfsheimandtheworldstheyrepresent”
(305).Thethird,andperhapsmostsignificantofGatsby’sgesturesisaverbalone.OfTom
andDaisy,“hesays,‘Ofcourseshemighthavelovedhimjustforaminute…Inanycase,it
wasjustpersonal’(p.152).Thissuccessfullyimplies,asNickironicallyhints,awillfuland
colossalconceptionoftheselfandone’sdestiny”(Carrithers305).
Asa“bigrich,high-ivy,footballandpolobum,a‘nationalfigure,’apackofmuscle,”
(Carrithers305)Tom’smoststereotypicalgestureisinhispushingpeoplewherehewants
the“play”togo:Nickintothehouse,offofthetrain,ortotheapartment,allofwhichhe
doeswithsuccess,butthereaderalsoseeshisgesturesfunctioningunsuccessfully,
particularlyinregardstowhathewantsfromDaisy.Unfortunately,Tom’sultimateand
perhapsonlyredeeminggestureisnotonethatthereadergetstowitness,butthe
recollectionofhimcarryingDaisydownfromthePunchBowlwasenoughtopullherback
fromGatsby’spursuit(Carrithers306).
Wiechmann 19
Nick’sgreatgesturesareallprimarilyvocal.Evenfromthebeginningofthenovel,
thereisacertaindualityfoundinhisdescriptions.Heissimultaneouslyinsideofanevent,
partakingintheenjoymentorbeingvictimizedbytheoccurrence,andalsoremovedfrom
theevent,viewingitanalyticallyandoften,critically.Hiscontradictorystyleismeaningful
andarguablyhisgestureseventhoughvocalarethemostsuccessfulofthethreemen.So,
accordingtoCarrithers,“incharacterizationbygesture,thereadermaybegintosee
somethingofthevarietyofFitzgerald’sindividuals.”
Incontrast,thereader’sattentionisalsosimultaneouslydrawntotheidentities(or
lackthereof)ofthepartygoers.Inaswirlofnamesandrelationsandtrivialdetails,the
readerfindsthemselvesmoreconfusedaboutthegueststhanbeforeheorshewas
introducedtoanyofthem.Theidentificationsthatreadersreceivethroughnewsand
societyfailtogivealegitimateidentitytoanyone,orifitdoes,itdoessodamningly.The
truenatureofthepeopleatthepartyisbarelyvisible,butyetweknow.Theindefiniteness
isbestsummedupinthispassage:“Sometimesashadowmovedagainstadressingroom
blindabove,gavewaytoanothershadow,anindefiniteprocessionofshadows,thatrouged
andpowderedaninvisibleglass”(qtd.inCarrithers309).Despitetheflurryofmovement,
therewerenorealgestures,becausetherewasnotaclearintentioninanyofthe
movements.
Carrithersdoesadmitthatevenpurposefulgesturesarenotenoughtotrulycapture
andexplainone’scharacter.InFitzgerald’sconstantreferralstotheEastandtheWestand
theEastEggandtheWestEgg,thereaderseesthatsettingandcontextbothshapeand
exposeaperson’sidentityaswell.Allfiveofthemaincharactersofthisnovelare,attheir
roots,MidwesternersandaccordingtoNick,“possessedsomedeficiencyincommonwhich
Wiechmann 20
madeussubtlyinadaptabletoEasternlife”(qtd.inCarrithers314).Theirbackground
shapedthemandasaresult,noneofthemfoundwhattheywerelookingforintheEast;
theycouldnotescapetherootlessnessoflifeaftertheWar.TheywanderedintoNewYork
tofindtheideallessthantheyhadhopedandthattheirdreamshadbeensoiledbythe
passingoftime(Carrithers314).Thecharactersthatweknowbestaretheoneswhowe
seeinbothinthepastandpresentandinprivateandpublicsettings,intimate
conversationsandparties.
Carritherssumsitupperfectlywhenhesaysthatthisnovel’sexplorationbothof
“thenatureofaction,andofthedegreeofmeaningfulnessthatactioncanhave,comesout
offourinterlockingstructures:imagery,action,time,andanironicrelationbetween
narratorandmaterial”(316).ThesefourstructuresarewhatallowNick,andreaders
throughhim,tolearnfromhisadventuresofthesummerof1922.Herealizedthata
meaninglessdeathandevenmeaninglessactionswereamongthegreatestthingstobe
feared.Nickalsolearnedthatlove,commitment,andresponsibilitywerecrucialaspectsof
avoidingmeaninglessnessinlife(Carrithers317-8).Gatsbyistheprimaryexampleofthis:
heprovedhisloveandcommitmenttoDaisy,asheacceptedresponsibilityforbothhisand
heractions,anddiedtopayherpriceforMyrtle’sdeath.
Nick’sexhibitionofthesevaluesismuchmoremoderate,butinthelongrun,itis
moreeffective.Headhereshimselftotheloves,commitments,andresponsibilitiesthatare
foundinhishomeintheWestandalsotoGatsby’sstory,notinamorbidsense,butina
recognitionofitspotential.Carrithers,likeEbleandHanzo,focusesinontheimportanceof
whatNickwasabletolearn.Hecloseshisessaywiththepowerfulideathat“thestructure
ofthewholebookisfocusednotonGatsby’stragicworld,butonNick’sworldandours…
Wiechmann 21
Weremainalive,tryinglikeNicktomakesenseoutofthesomber,ElGrecoishdistortions
andproportionsofourworld”(320).
Wiechmann 22
Thesis
WhenTheGreatGatsbywasinitiallypublishedin1925,itreceivedsomeexcellent
reviews,butlackedthecommercialsuccessthatF.ScottFitzgeraldhadhopedfor.Whilehe
didreceivelettersofcommendationfromcontemporaryauthors,includingT.S.Elliotand
WillaCather,literarycriticsweredividedonwhetherornotthenovelhadanymerit.Some
critics,suchasHarveyEagleton,wentasfarassayingthatitsignaledtheendofFitzgerald’s
success(Lucey).Fitzgeraldadmittedtomisgivingsaboutthenovel,butevenhecouldnot
consistentlydefinewhatitwasthatthenovellacked.FitzgeralddescribesTheGreatGatsby,
inalettertofellowwriter,JohnPealeBishop,as“blurredandpatchy,”andnotesthat“I
neveratanyonetimesaw[Gatsby]clearmyself—forhestartedoutasonemanIknewand
thenchangedintomyself”(qtd.inBurnam9).Inadifferentletter,thatsameyear,Fitzgerald
admittedtoEdmundWilsonthathisworstfaultwasthathe“gavenoaccount(andhadno
feelingaboutorknowledgeof)theemotionalrelationsbetweenGatsbyandDaisyfromthe
timeoftheirreuniontothecatastrophe”(qtd.inBurnam9).Healsothoughtthatthelack
ofanadmirablefemalecharacterwasanaestheticflawthatresultedinthebook’slow
readership.
Despitetheminimalsuccessafteritsinitialpublication,thebookthatF.Scott
Fitzgeraldhimselfhaddeemedafailure,TheGreatGatsby,experiencedarevivalatthetime
ofWorldWarII,whentheCouncilonBooksinWartimeprovided155,000copiesofthe
noveltosoldiers.Thebookwas“aspopularaspin-upgirls,”accordingtooneG.I.,andthe
positivereceptionacrossseaspropelledtothebooktopostwarrecognitionasthegreat
Americannovel(Beckwith).Asaresultofthisrevival,notonlyweretheremultiplefilm
adaptationsproducedinthefollowingdecades,butthenovelfoundahomeinclassrooms
Wiechmann 23
acrossAmerica.Today,itisconsideredaniconicliteraryclassicandwasvotedthebest
twentieth-centuryAmericannovelin1998bytheModernLibraryeditorialboard
(RadcliffePublishingHouse).Ithasreceivedcopiousamountsofattentionfromteachers,
students,andliterarycriticsalike.Itisconsideredaglitteringtimecapsulethatcontains
themagicandtheglamoroftheJazzAge.Itisanexemplarypieceofwritingthatcanbe
consideredamodelforallwriting,bothinitsstructureandinitsstyle.Arguablytherevival
ofTheGreatGatsbyinthemid-twentiethcenturyanditscurrentstatusasanAmerican
classicarelinkedtoitsexplorationoftheproblemoftheAmericanDream,thethemesof
lossandlonging,andtheroletheyplayinthehumanexperience.
WhilemostcriticswouldlikelyagreethatTheGreatGatsbyaddressesissuesthatare
universaltohumanity,thereisstilldisputeonthestrengthsandweaknessesofthenovel.
In“TheStructureofTheGreatGatsby,”KennethEblepraisesthedirectnessandsimplicity
oftheshortnovel.Hemarvelsathowtheplacementofeventsmirrorsthelastlineofthe
novel:“webeaton,boatsagainstthecurrent,bornebackceaselesslyintothepast”
(Fitzgerald115).Thereaderseestheswift,on-goingnarrative,butalsonoticeshowthe
presentismanipulatedandultimatelydeterminedbythepowerofthepast;Gatsby’s
undistinguishedbackgroundandpoverty,nottomentiontheillegitimatewaythathe
escapespoverty,keepshimfromDaisyandalso,Daisy’spersonalhistorywithTom
preventsherfromleavinghim.Becauseofthisdistinctstructurerelatingthepastandthe
present,Eblefinallystatesthatthe“tightinvariabilityofitsconstruction”(7)isthereason
thatGatsbyhasstayedwithus.Ontheotherhand,TomBurnam,in"TheEyesofDr.
Eckleburg:ARe-ExaminationofTheGreatGatsby,"criticizesthe“dualityofsymbol
structure”(10),claimingthatbypullingthereaderintwodirectionssimultaneously,it
Wiechmann 24
becomes“somewhatlesssharp,lesspointed,morediffusedinitseffect”(10).While
acknowledgingthattheovertthemeisthatofthefutilityofanattempttorecapturethe
past,Burnamistroubledbythesymbols,suchasthegreenlightandtheeyesofDr.
Eckleburg,whichsupporttheironicsubthemeofGatsby’sdeterminedattempttobeat
againstthecurrent(8).
In“BoatsAgainsttheCurrent:MortalityandtheMythofRenewalinTheGreat
Gatsby,”JefferySteinbrinkfocusesonadifferenttypeofduality.Steinbrinkconsidersthe
juxtapositionofGatsby’spre-WWIAmericanDreamidealismandtheentropythat
characterizedthecountryaftertheWar.Heexplorestherelationshipbetweenthetwo
ideasanddeclaresthat“thecourseofhumanexperience…isbestdescribedasadownward
glide…thatregenerationandrenewalaremyths,atbestmetaphors,ratherthanreal
possibilitiesofactuallife”(158).HethenconcludesthatthecharactersofTheGreatGatsby
whoopposeorignorethisaspectofrealityareincrediblyyoung,incrediblyfoolish,orboth.
InRogerLewis’sessay"Money,Love,andAspirationinTheGreatGatsby,"hefocuseson
theissueofdoubleness,examiningtheinconsistenciesandinsinceritiesofeachofthe
principlecharactersandthecomplicated,absurdrelationshipbetweenthethemesof
moneyandlove.In“Fitzgerald’sTriumph,”GaleH.Carrithers,Jr.examineshowconcrete
gesturesinTheGreatGatsbyandtheintentionsbehindthemanswerthetwomost
pertinentquestionsinlife:“WhoamI?”and“Whatisthenatureoftheworld?”LikeLewis,
heexamineseachcharacter’sconcrete“gestures,”bothphysicalandverbal,toanswer
thesequestions.ManycriticsfocusontherelationshipbetweenFitzgeraldandNick,the
narrator,andalsobetweenFitzgeraldandGatsby.ThomasHanzoexploresthisissuein
“TheThemeandNarratorofTheGreatGatsby”andalsoexploreshowNick’scharacteracts
Wiechmann 25
asafoilforGatsby’scharacter,dictatingthemajorthemeofthenovel.Ultimately,wesee
eachofthesecriticscommentingonFitzgerald’sstyle,structure,orthewaythathewrote
eachofhischaractersandtheirinteractions.Morethanthat,eachofthesecriticsusesthose
analysestoaddtotheconversationaboutthethemesofthebook.TheGreatGatsbyisabout
theAmericanDream,orrather,thecorruptionofit,theideasoflove,longing,andloss,the
powerandimmovabilityoftime,andfinally,itisaboutlivinginaworldwhereafallis
inevitable;allofwhichareperennialissuesofthehumanexperience.
Inthisthesis,IwillexamineTheGreatGatsbyinlightofancientliterarytraditions,
includingacomparisonofFitzgerald’stwentieth-centurynovelto“TheStoryofDaedalus
andIcarus”,asrecordedinOvid’sfirstcenturyMetamorphoses,andalsoinrelationto
Aristotle’sdescriptionandexplanationofGreektragedyasrecordedinThePoetics,c.335
BCE.IwillexplorehowTheGreatGatsbyisinformedbyorparallelsandcomplicatesthe
Icarusmyth,consideringboththestructureandmajorthemesofGatsbyandoftheIcarus
myth.Iwillthenusethisstudyofthetwoworksasabasistodeterminewhatmessage
Fitzgeraldwouldwanthisreaderstotakeawayfromhisnovelanditsprotagonist,the
greatJayGatsby,inrelationtotheconceptofhavinghopeinanentropicworld.InThe
Poetics,Aristotlefocusesonplotstructureanddescriptionofthetragichero.Iwillalso
basemyanalysisonhowTheGreatGatsbyfollowsthismodel.Thiswilldemonstratethat
notonlyisTheGreatGatsbycriticallytiedtoancientandacclaimedliterarytraditions,but
informsandexemplifiesthemeritsofthosetraditionsandaddressestheuniversalthemes
ofbothhopeandofentropyamongothers,andasaresult,hasapresenceandpurposein
today’sliterarycanonandintoday’sclassroom.Thispurposeisnotsolelytiedtothe
stylisticorstructuralmeritswhichsomanycriticshavecommentedon,butinsteadthe
Wiechmann 26
purposeisthatallreadersalikemightuseittoteachabouthumannature,ourworld,and
ultimately,aboutourselves.
InboththestoryofIcarusandTheGreatGatsby,readersseeatendencytoward
decay.Theworldsofbothofthesestoriesarecharacterizedbyentropy:aprocessof
runningdownordegradation,oratrendtodisorder.Entropyisthereasonwhypaintpeels,
whyhotcoffeeturnscold.Entropyisexpressedinthesecondlawofthermodynamicsasan
immutablelawofnaturewhichonemustbeawareofandconscientiouslyworkagainstin
ordertoachievehisorhergoals(Requadt).Sowhenliterarycritic,JefferySteinbrink
focusesontheissueofentropyinhisanalysisofTheGreatGatsby,assertingthatentropy
doesnotmerelyencompasstheworldofthenovel,butalsoallofAmerica(particularlyin
Fitzgerald’sera)andtheuniverseasawhole(158),thisisasignaltoreadersthatboth
Ovid’searlyfirst-centurypoemandFitzgerald’smorecontemporarynovelcanbeviewed
throughthesamelenswithwhichweviewourownlives.
TheactionofTheGreatGatsbytakesplaceduringthesummerof1922inLong
Island.NickCarrawayrelatestheeventsofthatsummertothereader,focusingattention
onJayGatsbyandhisaspirations.NickisaMidwesternerwhomovedeasttogetintothe
bondbusinessandendsuprentingthehousenexttoGatsby’smansionandacrossthebay
fromhiscousin,Daisyandherhusband,TomBuchanan.NickfindsoutthatTomhasa
mistressandthatDaisyisunhappy.BackonWestEgg,NickisinvitedtooneofGatsby’s
extravagantpartiesandeventuallymeetsthemanthathehasheardsomuchabout.Nick
discoversthatDaisyandGatsbyhadbeeninloveonlyfiveyearsearlierandthatGatsby’s
partiesandextravagantlifestylewereallanefforttoimpressDaisy.GatsbythenasksNick
toarrangeameetingforhimandDaisy,whichNickdoesgladly.Afteraninitiallyawkward
Wiechmann 27
reunion,GatsbyandDaisybeginanaffair.DespiteTom’sowninvolvementinan
extramaritalaffair,hebecomesincreasinglyjealousofGatsbyandDaisy’srelationship.This
conflictculminateswhenthefivetakeadaytriptoNewYork.Afteragiganticargument,
DaisyrealizesthatherallegianceistoTomandthatshecan’tchangewhatispast,
destroyingGatsby’sdream.GatsbyandDaisythenheadbacktoLongIslandandDaisy
strikesMyrtleWilson,Tom’slover,withthecar.Gatsbyiswillingtotaketheblamefor
Daisy,andTomtellsMyrtle’shusbandthatitwasGatsbywhokilledMyrtle.Myrtle’s
husbandarrivesatGatsby’smansion,shootsGatsbyandthenhimself.Nickholdsafuneral
forGatsby,whichasidefromGatsby’sfather,nooneattendsandthenNickmovesbackto
theMidwest,disgustedbywhathehasencounteredintheEast.
Ovid’smythopensonDaedalusandIcarustrappedontheislandofCretebyKing
Minos.Daedalusrealizesthathecannotescapebytheseaanddecidestofashionwingsfor
himselfandhisson,imitatingthewingsofabird.Daedalusinstructshissontofollowhim
andflyamiddlecourse,explainingtherisksofflyingtoohighandtoolow.Duringtheflight,
DaedaluslooksbehindhimandseesIcarusflyingtooclosetothesun.Thewaxthatbound
Icarus’swingsmeltsandhefallstohisdeath.
Thesetwostoriesappearwhollyunrelated,particularlyinregardstotheirsetting,
historicalcontext,complexity,andformat.However,withinthecontextofaclosereading,
theparallelsbetweenTheGreatGatsbyand“TheStoryofIcarusandDaedalus”become
moreevidentandarguablygivegreaterweighttothemeaningandsignificanceofboth
stories.JayGatsby’srootswereinitiallyMidwestern.Hewasbornandraisedinthemiddle-
of-nowhereNorthDakota,asachildofinconsequentialparents.Becauseoftheactionsand
identitiesofhisparents,JamesGatsfoundhimselfessentiallytrappedbyanimpoverished
Wiechmann 28
family,aworthlessname,andalackofopportunitiesforachievinggreatness.Similarly,
Icaruswastrappedandpunishedbecauseofhisfather.KingMinoshadimprisoned
DaedalusontheislandofCretefortworeasons:topunishhimforhelpingPasiphaëtomate
withabullandtopreventhimfromspreadingknowledgeabouttheLabyrinththathehad
created.ForbothJamesandIcarus,leavingtheonlyhomethattheyknewwastheonlyway
totrulylive;forthisreason,bothcharactershaveasenseofrootlessnessaboutthem.
JamesandIcarusbothhadaspirationsfargreaterthantheirinitialcircumstances.
AsJamesGatsbecameJayGatsby,itwasclearthathishopesandexpectationsweregoing
inadirectionperpendiculartothatofentropicdecline(Steinbrink164).Herefusedtobe
diminishedbyapost-Warworldofentropyandremainedfocusedonthegreenlight,
symbolizingtheDaisyandhispotentialforreachinghisdream,attheendofthedock
acrossthewater.Jay’sfinancialandsocialascensionisdrasticandmysterioustotheother
charactersinthenovelandreadersalike,givingthosearoundhimasenseofwonder.
Icarus,too,refusedtobecontentwithmoderationinhisascent.Hedidnotfollowthe
conservativecoursethathisfatherdemonstrated,butratherallowedhimselftobeswept
upintothegloryofflight.Icarus’sliteralascensioninflightis,likeGatsby’s,equally
shocking,withDaedalus“changingthelawsofnature”(Ovid187).Bothcharactersstrove
toimitatethegreatnessthattheyobservedintheworldaroundthem.JayGatsby
establishedhimselfinWestEgg,identicalinshapeandcontourtoEastEgg,butnotablyless
fashionableandaristocratic.Hismansion“wasafactualimitationofsomeHôteldeVillein
Normandy,withatowerononeside,spankingnewunderabeardofrawivy,witha
swimmingpool,andmorethanfortyacresoflawnandgarden”(Fitzgerald5),butwas
strangelyoutofplacenexttoNick’scheapbungalow.Likewise,Daedalus’invention
Wiechmann 29
mirroredtheimageofabird’swings,andIcaruswasabletosoarhigherandhigher,
believingthatwithhiswings,hewasaslimitlessasthebirdsheimitated.Herefusedto
acknowledgethepowerofgravityandthedangerofthesun;heflewboldly,opposingboth.
BothGatsbyandIcarusrosebyillegitimateorunearnedmeans.WhileJaywasstill
James,heworkeddiligently,andaccordingtohisfather,“Jimmywasboundtogetahead”
(Fitzgerald110).However,throughanunfortunateturnofeventsandthelossofDan
Cody’sinheritance,herealizedthattheAmericanDreamwasjustthat,adream.Hardwork
wasnotapromiseofsuccess.Despitehisbestefforts,GatsbyhadlostDaisy,whomhehad
lovedforherauraofcharm,elegance,andluxuryandforthepromiseofapastthathe
couldnotforget.GatsbywaswillingtodowhateverittooktogetDaisybackandbecause
“hervoicewasfullofmoney”(Fitzgerald76),hethoughtthatmoneyandaluxurious
lifestylewerethekeystoheraffection.Gatsbythenresortedtobootleggingandorganized
crimetomakehismoney.InordertowinDaisyback,heillegitimatelyacquiredmillionsof
dollars,boughtagaudymansioninWestEgg,andthrewlavishpartieseveryweekend.He
livedonanotionthathecouldfacilitatehisownhappiness;thathecouldbuyandforce
everyoneofhisdreamsintoreality.BecauseJayGatsbyessentiallycreatedhimselffrom
nothing,heisaparadox;heissimultaneouslyamoneymakerandahopelessromantic
(Lewis44).
ForIcarus,flightwaswonderful,buthedidnothingtobringabouthiscapacityfor
flight.Heflewbecauseofthework,brilliance,andinventivenessofhisfather.Icarus,if
anything,wasahindrancetohisfather’swork.He“Stoodbyandwatched,andraisedhis
shinyface/Toletafeather,lightasdown,fallonit,/Orstuckhisthumbintotheyellow
wax,/Foolingaround,thewayaboywill,always,/Wheneverafathertriestogetsomework
Wiechmann 30
done”(Ovid187-88).Becausehedidnotworkorstrivetounderstandthepowerand
limitationsofthewings,Icarusobliviouslybroughtabouthisowndownfall.
JayGatsbydidnotunderstandtherisksofhisill-gottengains.Hemighthavebeen
awareofthelegalrisksofbootleggingandworkingwithcharacterslikeMeyerWolfsheim,
butheneverthoughtofthepolarizingeffectthathisolfactorymoneywouldhaveonDaisy.
Shewantedtobelievethathehadmadehisfortuneonachainofdrugstores,buteventhe
revealinggaudinessofhispartywasrepugnantandoffensivetoher.Inhisdesperate
attempttoimitateherlifestyle,heneglectedtorealizethatevenamongtheextraordinarily
rich,therewereclassdivisions.Shewouldalwayshaveoldmoneyandshewouldalwaysbe
accustomedtoit.Hisnewmoneywouldneverstopsmellinganditwouldneverbeenough.
Likewise,Icarusdidnotorcouldnotgraspthefatalrisksinvolvedwithflight.Despite
havingDaedalustoinstructandleadhim,Icarusignoredthewisdomofferedtohimand
followedhisowninclinations.WhenJefferySteinbrinksaysreferringtothecharactersin
TheGreatGatsby,“theveryyoungandtheveryfoolisheitherrefusetoacceptorareunable
tounderstandthepersonalconsequencesoflivinginanentropicsystemandarecrushed-
sometragically,someonlypitifully-bytheburdenoftruththeyareeventuallymadeto
bear”(158-159)weseethatthisconclusioncanalsobeappliedoutsideofthenovel,
particularlytoIcarus.
ForbothJayandIcarus,thefallwassuddenanddevastating.Gatsby’sfallcomesin
twoparts.First,itisinthemomentthatDaisysays“Oh,youwanttoomuch…Iloveyounow
—isn’tthatenough?Ican’thelpwhat’spast”(Fitzgerald84);withthoselastfivewords,
DaisydestroysGatsby’sdreamofrecreatingthepasttowhichhehadclungsodesperately
forfiveyears.ThesecondpartofGatsby’sfalliswhenGeorgeWilsonwrongfullymurders
Wiechmann 31
him,becauseofwhatTomsaidregardingMyrtle’sdeath.Icaruswascaughtupinthe
miracleofflight;he“soaredhigher,higher,drawntothevastheaven/Nearerthesun,and
thewaxthatheldthewings/Meltedinthatfierceheat,andthebarearms/beatupand
downintheair,andlackingoarageTookholdofnothing,”(Ovid123-128).WhileIcarus
findshimselftooclosetothesun,JayGatsbyfindshimselftooclosetoupper-class
characters,DaisyandTom,andevenMeyerWolfsheim,who“werecarelesspeople…they
smashedupthingsandcreaturesandthenretreatedbackintotheirmoneyortheirvast
carelessness…andletotherpeoplecleanupthemesstheyhadmade”(Fitzgerald114).
NickandDaedalusarebothcharacterswhoseactionsandattitudesservetostress
andhighlightthedistinctivetemperamentoftheirrespectivecounterparts,makingthem
clearfoilcharacters(Abrams225).ToNick,Gatsbyrepresentseverythingforwhichhehas
“unaffectedscorn”(Fitzgerald3),and,whileGatsbyisutterlyconvincedthathewillbeable
toshapehisownfutureatwill,Nickismorerealisticandrecognizesthelimitationsofthe
humanwillandtime.DaedalusandIcarusrepresentopposingidealsaswell.Where
Daedalusstandsforbalanceandmoderation,Icarusrepresentstheimpulsiveand
passionate.Daedaluscautiouslyfliesamiddlecourse,butweseeIcarusfollowinghisown
imprudentinclinations.ThefoilcharactersincorporatedinTheGreatGatsbyandtheIcarus
mythstrengthentheimpactofbothstoriesbyhighlightingthedifferencesinideals,
attitudes,andbehaviors.
ForbothJayGatsbyandyoungIcarus,theirproblemsbeganwhentheyleftwhat
theyknewandunderstood.GatsbyabandonedhisMidwestrootsandvaluesystems,and
whenhewenttotheEast,thesimplicityofhisbackgroundpreventedhimfromrealizing
thedangerthatcorruptionrepresented.Heriskedhismorality,hisdream,andfinally,his
Wiechmann 32
lifeashethrusthimselfintotheworldoftheEast.Byleavingthegroundinflight,Icarus
literallyputhimselfinapositiontofall.Helefteverything,eventhelawsofnaturebehind
him.Bothcharacterscouldhavesurvivedorperhapsevenavoidedafalliftheyhad
selectedmoremoderatepathsanddreams.IfJayhadfoundabalancebetweenhisdream
andrealityorevensimplyrecognizedthatthelastfiveyearsofhislifecouldnotbeerased,
hemighthavebeenabletoacceptthatDaisycouldnotcompletelyremoveTomfromher
life.Likewise,ifIcarushadbeencontentwithamodestpath,hecouldhavemadeittoo
freedom.
Theparallelsinaction,characters,andmessageinTheGreatGatsbyandtheIcarus
mythareundeniable.Whyshouldthismatter?Ourworldisfullofspin-offs,fan-fiction,
allusions,references,andre-workingsofthetextsthatcamebefore.Wefindintertextuality
ineverythingfromtelevisionaddstonewspaperarticlestoscholarlyjournalsandwe
openlyusepopularworksasmodelsfornewtexts.Sowhatisitthatsetsthesetwo
particularaccountsandtheconnectionthattheyhavetoeachotherapartfromtherest?
FitzgeraldstructuresTheGreatGatsbyusingtheexamples,strategies,andrhetoricof
classicauthors:IwouldarguethatTheGreatGatsbywasinformedbyOvid’s
Metamorphosesandalsothatbothofthesenarrativesfollowthemodelfortragedyas
determinedbyAristotleinThePoetics.Aristotle’streatisehasgreatlyinfluencedthe
developmentofliteraryandtheatricalcriticism.AccordingtoacclaimedCornellUniversity
professor,LaneCooper,“ThePoeticsofAristotleisbrief…yetoneofthemostilluminating
andinfluentialbookseverproducedbythesoberhumanmind.After22centuries,it
remainsthemoststimulatingandhelpfulofallanalyticalworks”(3).Becauseitseemsto
Wiechmann 33
followtheAristotelianmodelfortragedy,Fitzgeraldcreatedamemorableandmeaningful
workthathasbeencanonizedinAmericanliterature.
Aristotledefinedtragedyasthe“mimesisofactionwhichiscomplete,whole,andof
acertainmagnitude;inlanguageembellishedbydistinctformsinitssections;employinga
modeofenactment,notnarrative;andthroughpityandfearaccomplishingcatharsisof
suchemotions”(49).Aristotlealsostatedthatthemeritofatragedy,referringspecifically
totheatricaltragedy,couldbedeterminedbyconsideringsixkeycharacteristicsinthe
followingorder:plot,characters,diction,thought,spectacle,andmelody.Forthisanalysis,
thefocuswillbeonplotandcharacter,becausetheotherfourpertainspecificallyto
theatricalproductions.
Aristotleprioritizesplotthemost,goingasfarassayingthat“tragedy’scapacityis
independentofperformanceandactors”(55).Aristotleascribedthreecharacteristicstoa
commendableplot:itmustbewhole,complete,andofmagnitude.Tobewhole,aplaymust
haveabeginning,middle,andend.Thebeginningoughtnottobe“followingnecessarily
fromsomethingelse,butafterwhichafurthereventorprocessnaturallyoccurs”(55).The
middleshouldfollowaprecedingeventandbringaboutfurtherconsequences.Theendis
thatwhichnaturallyoccursandneednotbefollowedbyanythingelse.Essentiallytheplot
isaseriesofcauseandeffectevents.Inthebeginning,onefocusesontheeffect;inthe
middle,onefocusesonboththecauseandeffect;andintheend,onefocusesonlyonthe
cause,notontheeffect.TheGreatGatsbyfollowsthischainofevents.Whilethereaderis
giveninformationaboutwhatbroughtNickCarrawaytotheEast,withinapageof
beginningthebook,thereaderisalreadyintheEast,andwithinthreepages,thedinnerat
theBuchanansstartstheactionofthenovelandinitiatesthechainofeventsthatleadto
Wiechmann 34
Gatsby’sdownfall.Likewise“TheStoryofIcarusandDaedalus”beginsinthemidstofexile.
WithoutfamiliaritywithrestofOvid’sMetamorphoses,thereaderiscompletelylostasto
theantecedentactionthatbroughtaboutIcarus’sandDaedalus’exile.ThemiddleofThe
GreatGatsbyisanaturalandseamlesschainofevents,whereinboththecausesandeffects
arecritical.Fitzgeralddoesnotwastethereader’stimeorattentionwithdescriptionsthat
arenotdirectlyrelatedtothesocialgatheringsorinteractionsandcriticaldialoguesthat
shapethisnovel.“TheStoryofIcarusandDaedalus”alsorelatestheeventsofthestoryina
veryfocusedmanner;Ovidspendsonlysixty-onelinesofpoetryontheentiretyofthe
myth.Theendsofbothstoriesarealmostexclusivelyfocusedonthe“causes.”InGatsby,all
focusisonGatsby’smurderandtheminimalattendanceathisfuneral.Thesetwoevents
triggerthefinalactioninthestory:NickmovesbacktotheMidwest.Allthatweknow
abouthisreturnisthatheponderedtheeventsthathadledhimbacktohisroots.After
Icarus’sfallandDaedalus’cries,weknowonlythatthebodywaslaidinatombandthatthe
landwasnamedforhim.
ThesecondcharacteristicthatAristotleascribedtotheplotisthatitmustbe
“complete,”havinga“unityofaction”(57).Bythis,Aristotlemeansthattheplotmustbe
structurallyself-contained,withtheincidentsbroughttogetherbyinternalnecessity,with
eachactionleaningintothenextwithnooutsideintervention.Asmentionedinthe
precedingparagraph,theevents,socialgatherings,characterinteractions,andcritical
dialoguethatshapethisnovelfollowoneaftertheother.WhileFitzgeraldincorporates
beautiful,almostpoeticdescriptions,thesepassagesdonottakethefocusawayfromthe
actionofthenovel,butratheretchthescenesmorefirmlyinthereader’smind.Likewise,
Wiechmann 35
“TheStoryofIcarusandDaedalus”issoshortthatalltheeventsthatareincluded,are
includedoutofnecessity,makingtheactionisunified.
ThethirdcharacteristicthatAristotleascribestoplotisthatitmustbe“ofacertain
magnitude,”bothquantitatively(complexityandlength)andqualitatively(seriousnessand
universalsignificance)(57).MaurinneCorrigan,NPRbookcritic,arguesthatTheGreat
Gatsbyisindeedofacertainmagnitude,inbothregards,inherbookSoWeReadOn.Inan
interviewshedescribesGatsbyasthe“onegreatAmericannovelwethinkwe’vereadbut
probablyhaven’t.”Sheclaimsthatwhenitisreadinhighschool,anditusuallyis,the
readersaretooyoungtounderstandthecomplexityandweightofthenovel.Manyother
literarycritics,includingTomBurnam,JefferySteinbrink,ThomasHanzo,andRogerLewis
havecommentedonthecomplexdualitiesanddoublenesspresentedinthesymbols,
charactersandoverarchingthemes.Thethemesofthenovelarecertainlysignificant.
Fitzgeraldaddressesissuesincludinglove,longing,loss,theAmericanDream,havinghope
inanentropicuniverse,andthefutilityofactionsagainsttime.WhiletheIcarusand
DaedalusmythdoesnothavethesamequantitativecomplexityasTheGreatGatsby,it
undoubtedlyaddressestheuniversalissueofhavinghopeinaworlddestinedtowards
decayandteachesaninvaluablelessonontheimportanceofmoderation.
Aristotlewouldcharacterize“TheStoryofIcarusandDaedalus”asasimpleplot.
Simplereferstowhentheactioniscontinuousandunitary,butthetransformationlacks
reversalandrecognition.Instead,thesimpleplotfeaturesonlythecatastrophe,orthe
changeoffortune.WhileAristotleconsiderssimpleplotsacceptable,acomplexplotis
preferred.
Wiechmann 36
TheGreatGatsbyfurtherfitsAristotle’sdescriptionofgreattragedybecauseitis
complexandincludesperipetia,areversal,andanagnorisis,arecognition.Aperipetiaisthe
momentofchangeinthetragichero’sfortune,irrecoverablyfortheworse;itisbrought
aboutbythehero’sactionsorcharacter.Oftenthetraitthatbringsaboutthehero’s
downfallisthetraitthattheaudiencealsoadmires.ThisiscertainlythecasewithGatsby.
Weadmirehisdreamandtherelentlesswaythathepursuesit,hisgrandgestures,
glamorousparties,anddynamicspeechesthatultimatelypushDaisyawayfromGatsby.
DuringthebattleforDaisy,Gatsby’sactionsanddemandsconsolidateTom’sgriponDaisy.
Asthoughthiswerenotenough,TomthenfeelscomfortableenoughwithhisgriponDaisy
thathesendsherhomewithGatsby.
Theanagnorisisisconsiderablylessclear.ItbeginsafterDaisyhasstruckandkilled
MyrtleWilson.ShestayswithTomanddoesnotcontactJayGatsby,fullyindicatingthatshe
intendstoallowGatsbytotakethefallforher.Thisrecognitioncontinuesinthe
conversationbetweenNickandGatsby.Gatsbyfinallyadmits“Ofcourseshemighthave
lovedhim,forjustaminute-whentheywerefirstmarriedandlovedmeevenmorethen,do
yousee?”(Fitzgerald97).WeseeGatsbybeginningtorecognizethathisandDaisy’slove
wasnotasperfectorenduringashemighthavehoped,butatthispoint,hehasnotfully
givenuphisdelusionabouttheirlove,thatitsupersedeseverythingelse.Afterthisscene,
thedeathofGatsbyfollowsquickly,almostmercifully.“Heisnotgiventimetocontemplate
hisfallortolearnverymuchfromit”(Steinbrink166),preventinghimfromfulfillingthe
processofanagnorisis.
AccordingtoAristotle,characterhasthesecondplaceinimportanceinatragedy.
WhilesomemightsuggestthatJayGatsbyisavillainorsimplytheprinciplecharacterinan
Wiechmann 37
unsuccessfulromance,inactualityheisabletofilltheshoesthatAristotledesignedforthe
tragichero.Inacommendabletragedy,thecharacterssupporttheplot.Theirpersonal
motivationsareintricatelyconnectedtopartsofthecauseandeffectchainofaction.The
readerseesJayGatsby’spursuitofDaisyliterallyshapingandstructuringtheentiretyof
thenovel.Aristotlestatedthatfirstthecharactermustberenownedorprosperous,sothat
hischangeoffortunecangofromgoodtobad.Thischangeshouldcomeaboutasaresult,
notofvice,butofsomegreaterrororfrailtyincharacter.Suchaplotismostlikelyto
generatepityorfear,for“pityisarousedbyunmeritedmisfortune,fearbythemisfortune
ofamanlikeourselves”(Aristotle69-71).JayGatsbymadehimselfrenowned.Hebuilta
fortuneupforhimself,boughtabeautifulmansion,andplayedthegracioushostwho
constantlythrewlavishparties.Secondly,thecharacteroughttobegoodorfineinrelation
tomoralpurpose,relativetosocialclass.JayGatsby’smoralityisquestionablebecauseof
themeansbywhichheacquiredhisfortune,butarguably,hehadmoralityonahigher
plane.Hispursuitofwealthandreputation,whileillegitimate,wasallforlove,themost
nobleanddefininghumanemotion.Aristotlestatesthatthirdly,thetragicheromusthave
“fitnessofcharacter”andbe“truetolife”(79).Thecharactershouldbetruetohisorher
typeandalsorealistic.WhileJayGatsbydoesrepresentanextremeandirrationalhope,he
isstillacredibleorbelievablecharacter.Thefinal,andperhapsmostimportant
characteristicforthecharacteristhatheorshehasconsistency.Thecharactersmustbe
truetothemselvesintheiractionsandbehaviors.Oncetheirpersonalityandmotivations
arerevealed,thosesameelementsshouldcontinuethroughoutthedurationofthework.
Thetragicheromustbetruetolifeinthatheorsheisbelievableorrealistic,andyetthey
Wiechmann 38
mustbemorebeautiful.Theymustbeidealizedandennobled.Theymustbesomeonethat
thecommonmancanlearnfrom.
LetussaythenthatthereareundeniableparallelsbetweenFitzgerald’sTheGreat
GatsbyandOvid’s“TheStoryofIcarusandDaedalus”andthatbothoftheseworksdo
followthemodelsetforthbyAristotle’sPoetics.Wemustthenaskourselveswhythis
matters.Thismattersbecauseofthepurposeoffiction.Thismattersbecauseofthe
purposeofmyth.Thismattersbecauseofthepurposeofallliterature.Wordsaremeantto
communicateandtoteach.AccordingtoE.O.James,“theessentialfunctionofmythisto
validateandjustify,conserveandsafeguardthefundamentalrealitiesandvalues,customs
andbeliefsonwhichdependthestabilityandcontinuanceofagivenwayoflife”(482).G.S.
Kirkstatesthatmythhasathreefoldpurpose.“Thefirsttypeisprimarilynarrativeand
entertaining;thesecondoperative,iterative,andvalidatory;andthethirdspeculativeand
explanatory”(253-254).Ifitwasuncertainbefore,thesedefinitionsofmythmakeitvery
clearthattheIcarusandDaedalusmythhasamuchhighercallingthanmerelyentertaining
andpreservingtheGreekliterarytradition.
ThenwemustconsidertheindividualmeritsoftheTheGreatGatsby,specificallyin
theclassroomwhereitseesthemostuse.Itisateachingtool“becauseitisaccessible,
becauseofitsliterarydevices,includingsymbolism,motifs,andthemes;becauseitaffords
anextensivestudyonpointofview;andbecauseFitzgerald’sstyleandproseisvividand
hauntinglybeautiful”(Prosser).Highschoolteacher,EmiliaProsseralsoobservesthat
EnglishLanguageLearnersarelesslikelytogiveuponGatsbythanonothertextsbecause
oftheaccessibilityofthelanguageincomparisontootherclassicaltexts.Veteranteacher,
ColeenRuggierialsosuggests“Gatsby’stimelessquestfortheAmericanDreamstill
Wiechmann 39
resonateswithmodernreaders”(109).PerhapsthemostpowerfultestamentastowhyThe
GreatGatsbyfulfillsitinstructionalpurposeiscapturedinanarticlebySaraRimer.Rimer
writesontheinspirationalimpactthatthenovelishavingonthestudentsatBostonLatin
School.ForastudentwhorecentlyemigratedfromChinaandhasneverseenanythinglike
theglamorofGatsby’slife,hergreenlightisHarvard.Forastudentwhoisarefugeefrom
Vietnam,hisversionofGatsby’sdreamistomakehisparentsproudofhimandtobeable
tosupportthem.Gatsbyismakingadifferenceinthelivesofstudents.Notbecauseitisa
glitteringtimecapsulethatcontainsthemagicandtheglamoroftheJazzAge.Notbecause
itisanexemplarypieceofwritingthatdemonstratescontrolofstyle,structure,andliterary
devices.Gatsbyismakingadifferenceinthelivesofstudentsbecauseithasapowerful
message.
Ovid’smessagein“TheStoryofIcarusandDaedalus”isverystraightforward.It
givesaclearwarningagainstfollowingextremepathsandadvocatesmoderationinstead.It
teachesasimplelessonabouthowriskrelatestosurvival.Thisshortaccounteven
advocatesobeyingparentalorauthoritativefiguresandrecommendsseriouslyregarding
others’wisdomandexperience.TheGreatGatsbyisalittlelessstraightforward.Thereader
ispresentedwithtwopossiblemodels.WebeginandendtheworkwithNick.Like
Daedalus,hefliesamodestcourse.Attimeshesuccumbstotheglamourandimmoralityof
theEast,butoverall,hischaracterremainsconsistentwiththewell-to-doconservativeman
hewaswhenhefirstlefttheMidwest.Whilebynomeansperfect,hismoralityfarexceeds
thatoftheothercharacters.Arguablythough,helearnsnothingthroughouthistimewith
Gatsby.HereturnshometothesafetyandeaseofMinnesota,closingoffthelessonsthat
thoseintheEastcouldhavelearnedfromGatsby’sfall.Hewishestheworldto“standata
Wiechmann 40
sortofmoralattentionforever”(Fitzgerald3)buthedoesnothingtobringthisabout.
Finally,inthelastmomentsofthenovelNickadvocatesGatsby’sdreaminsteadofhisown
courseofaction.HeimpliesthatitwasworthitforGatsbytobelieveinthegreenlighton
theendofDaisy’sdock.Heimpliesthatitisbettertohopethatonefinemorningwemight
reachtheimaginedfuturethatliesbeforeus.Yet,wecannotforgettheconsequencesof
Gatsby’sactions.Wecannotforgetthegravityofhisrisks.WecannotforgetthatDaisy
rejectedhim,thathelosthisdream,andthathisdeathwasmeaningless.
LikeIcarus,likeJayGatsby,weliveinaworldwherethereisatendencytowards
decay,whereweknowthatthefallisinevitable.Ultimately,itiseachindividual’schoiceof
howtheyactandreacttoaworldthatisindeedcharacterizedbyentropy.Whilenoone
wantstofalllikeGatsbyorIcarus,thereisanundeniablepoeticbeautytobothoftheir
ascentsandtotheliterarymeritintheirstories.Thefearlessleapthatbothtakeinthe
directionoftheirdreamsiscourageousandadmirableandmeaningful,butnotwithout
risk.Bothofthesecharacterscertainly“paidahighpriceforlivingtoolongwithasingle
dream”(Fitzgerald103),asweseeintheirsuddenanddevastatingdescents.However,itis
notenoughtosimplyseetheriseandfallofthesetwocharactersoracknowledgethe
writingprowessofFitzgeraldandOvid;ifwedonotlearnfromGatsbyandIcarus,the
storiesareuseless.Wemustconsidernotonlytheirplights,butalsotheworldinwhich
theylived.Weneedtolearntorecognizethelimitationsoftheworldweliveinandalsoto
strikeabalancebetweenhopeandrealism.Oncewehaveachievedthis,weneedtoteach
others.WeneedtokeepbothGatsbyandtheseancienttextsinourclassroomstoday.We
shouldnotmerelyutilizeTheGreatGatsbyasastructuralmodelforcreativewriting,asan
exampleoflanguagemanipulationandstyle,orasatimecapsulefromtheRoaring
Wiechmann 41
Twenties;norshouldweusetheIcarusmythaswayofexplainingFreytag’sPyramidor
simplycommenditsblendofhistoryandmyth.Insteadweneedtotakeahardlookatthe
themesandmessagesofbothaccounts.Weneedtotalkabouthope,loss,longing,dreams,
andfailure.WeneedtouseeverythingfromGreekmythtoTheGreatGatsbytoteach
literariness,andmoreimportantly,toteachlife.Sothatultimately,wemight“beaton,boats
againstthecurrent,bornebackceaselesslyintothepast”(Fitzgerald115).
Wiechmann 42
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